Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 72: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the locations in County Kildare now deemed to have the worst pupil to teacher ratio; her plans to address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47770/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 74: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills her targets in respect of pupil to teacher ratio at primary level in County Kildare in 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47772/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 78: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills her targets in respect of pupil to teacher ratio in the coming year and for County Kildare; the way this compares with previous years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47776/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 98: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills her targets in respect of pupil-teacher ratio in the coming year; the way this compares with previous years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47881/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 102: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills her targets in respect of pupil-teacher ratios at primary level throughout the country in 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47885/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 104: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the location throughout the country now deemed to have the worst pupil to teacher ratios, her plans to address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47887/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 72, 74, 78, 98, 102 and 104 together.

The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive information relating to pupil teacher ratio (PTR) and class sizes in primary schools. The PTR in respect of all primary schools is currently only available at national level and not disaggregated by county or any other variable. The most recent statistical information relates to the 2009/10 school year.

Statistical information in respect of the 2010/11 school year is due for publication in September 2011.

Pupil numbers at both primary and post-primary level continue to increase and this results in an increased requirement for additional teachers for the foreseeable future. The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on my Department's website. In terms of the position at individual school level the key factor for determining the level of resources provided by my Department is the pupil enrolment at 30 September of the previous year. While the staffing schedule allocates on the basis of an average number of pupils each individual school decides on how to arrange its classes.